Types and Definitions

In a normal eye, clear fluid flows in and out of a space at the front of the eye called the anterior chamber, nourishing nearby tissue.  In patients with glaucoma, the fluid builds up, causing pressure to rise, eventually leading to vision loss or blindness.  For patients with open angle glaucoma, the most common form, fluid builds slowly as a result of clogging inside the canals.  A much more rare form is angle closure glaucoma, caused by a complete blocking of the opening to canals, and is indicated by a quick and dramatic rise in eye pressure.

In another rare form, normal tension glaucoma, patients suffer optic nerve damage that causes vision loss, even though there is no blockage and eye pressure remains normal.  The cause of this type is not completely understood, however, the general belief is that an unusually fragile optic nerve, inherited genetically, makes patients susceptible to this disease.

Symptoms and Signs

Most of the time there are no warning signs of the onset of glaucoma, and it can go undetected until irreversible vision loss is experienced.  For this reason, routine check-ups with your ophthalmologist, especially as you progress in age, are necessary in order to catch the disease before it is too late.

With angle closure glaucoma, symptoms occur quickly and are usually severe.  You should seek immediate medical help if you are experiencing symptoms of this form of glaucoma, which include:

• Eye pain
• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dilated pupils
• Halos around lights

Diagnosis

Since most forms of glaucoma do not have associated symptoms, diagnostic tests are usually the only way that early stages of glaucoma can be detected.  Two basic tests that are used for diagnosing glaucoma are tonometry, used to measure pressure in the eye, and ophthalmoscopy, used to examine the optic nerve.  If abnormalities are detected with either of these tests, additional tests will be preformed to check for the presence of open or closed angle glaucoma.

Treatment

Patients suffering from angle closure glaucoma usually require surgery to remove a portion of the outer edge of the iris.  Treatment for all other types comes predominantly in pill or eye drop form.  There are several different drops and pills on the market that can help slow the deterioration of the optic nerve and reduce eye pressure.  Although there is no cure, the effects of glaucoma can be reduced if the disease is caught early enough.  There are alternative, controversial treatments for glaucoma including acupuncture and medicinal marijuana, which is legal in nine states, but some believe to pose more risk than benefit.  Your ophthalmologist can help decide which treatment will be most beneficial.  Keep in mind that treatment may include a combination of different medications.